Game-ball



ATTORNEYS.

w B. MELOT;

GAME B LI..- Patented v Nov. 27; 1883.

WITNESSES UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM B. MELOT, OF FLEETWOOD, PENNSYLVANIA.

GAME- BALL.

SPEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 289,297, dated November27, 1883.

Application filed October 24, 1883.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, VVILLIAM B. MELor, a citizen of the United States,residing at Fleetwood, in the county of Berks and State of Pennsylvania,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Game-Balls, ofwhich the following is a description.

My invention relates to gameballs, and more particularly to base-ballsand others which are subjected to rough usage, and which are rapidlyworn out.

My invention consists in a ball having a cover, which is secured upon.the same by stitching which is entirely upon the inside of the same,and is not exposed or apparent upon the exterior at all. It alsoconsists in the method of fastening the cover on the ball, as will behereinafter fully described.

Figure l is a View of my improved ball. Fig. 2 is the same view of theball as ordinarily covered. Fig. 3 is a view of one of the twocorresponding sections forming the cover. Fig. i is a View of the coverhalf sewed together,and before the ball is inserted. Fig. 5 is asectional view through the line yy of-Fi'g. 2, showing the dispositionof the stitch in the old form of cover; and Fig. 6 is a section throughline a: x of Fig. 1, showing the disposition of the stitch in the newcover.

In the drawings, A represents a ball whose cover is composed of twoexactly-corresponding pieces, one ofwhich is shown at B. These piecesare fitted together, with the end or wide part of one abutting againstthe middle or narrow part of the other, so as to make a singlecontinuous seam for the spherical cover, which is formed of two partsonly. This pattern for a ball-cover has heretofore been employed, and Ionly show it as the most convenient and simplest for illustrating myinvention.

Now, the usual method of fastening the cover on the ball is by stitcheswhich are passed through the outside edges of the two adjacent parts ofthe cover, as shown at a in Figs. 2 and 5. These stitches areof coursenecessarily exposed to abrasion and wear, and soon give way. They arealso rough to the hand, and, furthermore, they pass through the outsideor hardskin or grain of the leather, which, when it cracks at thestitches, allows the latter to pull out.

(Model.)

In my invention (see Figs. 1, 4, and 6) the line of stitching b isentirely upon the inside, and is not visible upon the outside atall, theadjacent edges of the pattern coming together flush and tight, andleaving but a single line to indicate the blind seam. This prevents thestitching from being worn out by abrasion and rough usage, makes theball smooth and pleasant to the hand, and. besides, the stitches beingset in the tough flesh side of the leather, the leather does not crackand allow the stitches to pull out.

In explaining my method of covering the ball in accordance with myinvention, the two patterns or pieces are fitted together around thebail and the stitches laid oft and marked 011 their adjacent edges, bothupon the inside and outside. The two pieces are then sewed together frominside until the pieces are about half-way fastened together,or more, asin Fig. 4. The ball is then inserted and the stitching is continued fromthe outside with a curved needle,care being taken not to draw thestitches until all the stitches are taken. The stitches are then goneover and successively drawn up tight with a hook or awl and the ends ofthe thread tied and buried in the joint beneath the surface. The seammay be afterward filled with glue or cemcut, to prevent shrinkage oropening of the same.

In making use of my invention I may employ any desired pattern of coveror form of ing the line of stitching to make a closed blind seam,substantially as shown and described.

' WILLIAM B. MELOT.

Witnesses:

SoLoN O. KEMON, Enwn. W. BYRN.

